"It will not be an interim but a legal and legitimate government," she added. "We are leaving the word interim behind."

Kyrgyzstan -- a multi-ethnic, landlocked nation in Central Asia -- saw an outbreak of brutal riots across its territory in April, which led to the ousting of President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who is now in exile in Belarus.

In the city of Osh, the situation was tense Sunday. Witnesses told CNN that the barricades were down but some polling stations and businesses had closed.

The Kyrgyz and Uzbek were out and about, but the Uzbek had not turned out to vote, according to witnesses.

Whoever wins next year's election would take office in January 2012. The official death toll in the clashes that began June 10 stands at 275, though government officials say the numbers could be much higher. More than half a million people -- about a tenth of the nation's total population -- were displaced, many taking refuge in neighboring Uzbekistan. More than 1,300 houses were burned.